Highway 50 is a major east/west highway for central California, and it is now closed "indefinitely."

This means the main route between the South Shore and Placerville is off limits at least as a thoroughfare.

Crews are working on three significant slides in a 12-mile area along the American River Canyon, along with other minor slides.

The first major slide occurred Feb. 10 near Sand Flat. The second slide, which is between Whitehall and Kyburz, came down Saturday afternoon. The third slide is two miles east of Kyburz and has been slipping for the last few days. It came down Saturday afternoon.

Deanna Shoopman of Caltrans said the hill an engineer was standing on Saturday to observe the situation is gone today.

Highway 50 was closed for four weeks in January 1997 for what was called the Mill Creek landslide. That year 350,000 cubic yards of debris were removed at a cost of $4.5 million, according to Caltrans.In all of the slides in the region there has only been one vehicle reported to be damaged. That was near Pollock Pines and Ice House Road where the initial large slide occurred on Highway 50. The slide pinned a Jeep against a tree, which prevented it from rolling into the American River. The occupants were able to get out safely and without injury.